Florida Southern College - Interlachen Yearbook (Lakeland, FL)

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Golden Anniversary — Z88.5 - . .» Dr. Walker had considerable land at his official disposal, of course, but only two buildings — the dormitory for men, then known as the Gulf View Hotel, and the dormitory for women, then known as the San Marino Hotel. As rapidly as funds were available, however, the plant was enlarged to in- clude an administration building, another dormi- tory for men, a gvmnasium, a tea room and a laun- dry. The administration building was erected while Dr. Walker was president. The dormitory for women included 159 rooms. This beautiful frame structure, situated at the top of a hill overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, became the social center of the campus. In it were beauti- fullv appointed reception rooms, literary society rooms, the president ' s suite, recitation rooms, the conservatory of music, the art studio and the dining room and kitchen. The building for men, which still stands, was seve ral hundred yards directly in front of the dor- mitory for women, which was destroyed by fire in 1921. The administration building was erected within a few feet of the dormitory for women. At the same time they elected Dr. Walker to the presidency, the trustees, figuring the tuition on a basis of nine months, fixed the following rates: primary, $10; intermediate, $18; sub-freshman, $25; freshman, $30; sophomore, $40; junior, $42; and senior, $48. The fee for music, art or elocution was set at $27 for nine months, and a matriculatiop fee of $1 was charged. In order to attract as many students as possible, it was decided at a meeting held at Sutherland on the afternoon of April 23, 1902, to announce to the Presbyterian Synod then in session at Punta Gorda, that children of Presbyterian ministers would be admitted without tuition charge. The executive committee of trustees, meeting on August 22, hurrying to get the plant ready for an impressive opening the following month, instructed President Walker to buy the following: Fifty double desks, four desks for teachers, fourteen suites of furniture, fifteen small rocking chairs, thirty-five dining room chairs, eight recitation benches, cutlery, four Rochester lamps, twenty-five hand lamps, three dozen towels, fifty yards of table cloth, twenty-five sheets and two pianos. An interesting paragraph from the minutes of a meeting held by the trustees a little later, follows: A motion was carried that the agent, Rev. J. P. Hilburn, be authorized to accept the horse from Brother J. A. Hendry at $75 on his subscription to the school. OPENING EXERCISES Many friends of the reorganized institution were present for the opening exercises held September 17, 1902, with an enrollment of 107 students. The total reached 208 before the year ended, bringing assurance to President Walker and other friends of the institution that it was well on the way to expansion. Besides President Walker, who taught mental and moral science, the catalogue for 1902-03 an- nounced H. A. Woodward, science and languages, Miss Donella Griffin, mathematics and English, Miss Laurie McRae, preparatory; Miss Annie Still- well, music, art and elocution in the primary de- partment; R. W. Evans, agent; Mrs. L. V. Craig, matron in the dormitory for women; and Mrs. Meader, housekeeper for men students. Miss Bethula Rice later was added as assistant in piano. Rev. J. A. Hendry and Dr. J. P. Hilburn also served as financial agent during Dr. Walker ' s adminis- tration. The Erolethean Literary Society for women stu- dents was organized October 10, 1902. Another literary society for women students, Sigma Delta, was organized the autumn of 1906, the same year in which Philomathean Literary Society for men students was organized as a friendly rival to Phi Sigma. The school began its second year at Sutherland in September, 1903, with an enrollment of 126 and closed with 226. The faculty announced in the catalogue for 1903-04 included W. B. Greer, science and modern languages; Miss Lettie Lynch, ancient languages, Miss Donella Griffin, English; Miss Laurie McRae, history; Miss Slaughter, primary; Miss Annie Stillwell, music; Miss Bethula Rice, assistant in music; Miss Mary Lee Hill, elocution; Miss Eunice Newton, art; Mrs. Wvatt, matron in dormitory for women; Mrs. W. B. Greer, matron in the dormitory for men; Dr. J. P. Hilburn, agent; and Dr. C. H. Logan, college physician. Miss Blackwell later was added as a music teacher. Three teachers for the Spanish, mathematics and commercial departments, had not been elected when the catalogue was published. The academic year 1904-05 was begun with an enrollment of 205- The gratifying total of 310 was reached before the end of the year. It was in March, 1904, that construction of the administration building was begun. This splendid brick structure, destroyed by the fire of 1921, had two stories besides the basement, and was 95 by 137 feet. There were ten recitation rooms on the first floor. The second floor included a chapel 70 by 95 feet, with a seating capacity of 700, a study hall 40 by 50 feet, seating 200, and a room used as a library. The study hall on the second floor later was used as a commercial department. Built at a at a cost of $24,500, this building was completed in time for the commencement exercises in May, 1905. Reporting to the conference held in Orlando in December, 1904, Dr. Hilburn, chairman of the board of trustees, after presenting details of the progress of the school, said: The fact that such an institution has been built up within three years without a dollar ' s worth of property or a cent of endowment to begin with, bespeaks volumes for Rev. S. W. Walker, the president, who has been Page Twenty-seven .«♦•♦• •♦■ •

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•••• «••• » » SHADE WILSON WALKER President 1902-07

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